I was needing a way to keep my money safe, and to be able to spend it online. After looking over various options, I decided to go with PayPal's branded prepaid Mastercard, which advertises that it can be linked to a Paypal account and reloaded - excellent for my needs. At least, it would be if the card actually worked. Thus far, I have been left with a useless chunk of plastic, and frustration at every turn. With any other prepaid card I've ever used, I was able to get it set up and usable in minutes. Not so here. The website redirects to a different address, where there is no obvious option for processing a card already purchased in a store. When I finally found the activation option, the page wouldn't send the information entered on the first page to proceed to the next step. I eventually managed through the phone system to register the card, and indeed the automated system confirms the balance that should be on it. However, despite the packaging and card both claiming that it is a Mastercard, valid wherever Mastercard is accepted, website vendors will not accept the card as valid. Trying to link the card to my Paypal account, an advertised feature that I specifically chose this card for, does not work. There is no explanation for this. The process just fails with an ambiguous error and tells me it can't be done at this time. Trying to process a payment through Paypal, using the card as a payment method, results in being informed that the card has been declined. No reason is given. Why is Paypal declining their own card as a payment method? So, my questions are... Do these cards even work? Will I at some point be able to spend my money? Why won't Paypal accept a Paypal branded (and presumably issued) card? Is there a way to get my money back so I can put it on a card that actually works other than taking Paypal to court?
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